Frame assembly for folding tents

ABSTRACT

A frame assembly for folding tents is disclosed. The tent frame assembly has a working rod  20.  The working rod  20  has a housing tube  21  having one or more first vertical guide slits  21 ′. A lower stationary support  22  has first regularly spaced multiple external support projections  22′  and is fixed to the bottom of the housing tube  21.  An externally threaded rotating rod  24  is rotatably inserted into the interiors of the housing tube  21  and the stationary support  22.  A first support collar  29  has second regularly spaced multiple external support projections  29′  and one or more inner projections. The first support collar  29  is movably positioned around the housing tube  21.  Multiple posts  30  individually have an upper post  31.  The upper post  31  is provided with a support cap  33  having third multiple external support projections on the top of the upper post  31  and is provided with a second support collar  35  having fourth multiple external support projections around the upper housing tube  21.  A lower post  37  is telescopically inserted into the upper post  31  and has a retractable support  38  at its upper portion. A wire  36  extends from the second support collar  35  to the lower post  37  through a guide roller  34.  Multiple bar linkages consist of a joint  12  and three bars  11.  Each of the linkages connects each of the support caps  33  with the first support collar  29  and connects each of the second support collars  35  with the lower stationary support  22.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates, in general, to folding tents and, more particularly, to a frame assembly for folding tents allowing a tent to be easily and correctly folded and unfolded and permitting the tent to be easily moved to a desired place.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] As well known to those skilled in the art, a tent is a portable shelter of skins, canvas, plastic, or the like, supported by one or more poles or a frame and often secured by ropes fastened to pegs in the ground. The tent is used for camping in the open air during the tourist season or the vacation season, or is used to avoid sunshine or rain in outdoor functions.

[0003] However, since a conventional tent having multiple individual poles should be set up by assembling the individual multiple poles, a long period of time, several persons and tools are required for setting up and dismantling the tent. This inconvenience is increased in a large-sized tent.

[0004] On the other hand, in a conventional tent having a connected frame assembly, the folding and unfolding operation of the tent may not be performed correctly because the working mechanism of the frame assembly is imperfect, the tent is too heavy and large for a sole person to operate it so as to fold and unfold it and the tent is so large that storage of it is difficult.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a frame assembly for folding tents allowing a tent to be easily and correctly folded and unfolded and permitting the tent to be easily moved to a desired place.

[0006] In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a frame assembly for folding tents, comprising: a working rod having, a housing tube having one or more first vertical guide slits, a lower stationary support having first regularly spaced multiple external support projections and being fixed to the bottom of the housing tube, an externally threaded rotating rod being rotatably inserted into the interiors of the housing tube and the stationary support, and a first support collar having second regularly spaced multiple external support projections and one or more inner projections, the first support collar being movably positioned around the housing tube with each of the inner projections being engaged with the threads of the externally threaded rotating rod through each of the vertical guide slits; multiple posts individually having, an upper post having a second vertical guide slit, the upper post being provided with a support cap having third multiple external support projections on the top of the upper post and being provided with a second support collar having fourth multiple external support projections around the upper housing tube, a lower post being telescopically inserted into the upper post and having a retractable support at its upper portion so as to support the bottom of the upper post when each of the posts is extended, and a wire extending from the second support collar to the lower post through a guide roller through the second vertical guide slit, so that the second support collar is vertically movable by the movement of the rotating rod; and multiple bar linkages consisting of a joint and multiple bars, each of the linkages connecting each of the support caps with the first support collar and connecting each of the second support collars with the lower stationary support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an unfolded tent frame assembly for folding tents according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing a working rod of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section of the working rod of FIG. 2;

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a post of the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 5 is a vertical cross section showing the post when extended;

[0013]FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section showing the post when retracted; and

[0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the folded tent frame assembly for folding tents of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1-5, a frame assembly for folding tents according to an embodiment of this invention is assembled by connecting an upright center working rod 20 with a plurality of surrounding posts 30 by means of a plurality of bar linkages.

[0016] The working rod 20 comprises a housing tube 21 having one or more first vertical guide slits 21′. A lower stationary support 22 having first regularly spaced multiple external support projections 22′ is fixed to the bottom of the housing tube 21. An externally threaded rotating rod 24 is rotatably inserted into the interiors of the housing tube 21 and the stationary support 22. A first support collar 29 having second regularly spaced multiple external support projections 29′ and one or more inner projections is movably positioned around the housing tube 21 with each of the inner projections being engaged with the threads of the externally threaded rotating rod 24 through each of the vertical guide slits 21′, so that the first support collar 29 is vertically moved by the rotation of the rotating rod 24.

[0017] The rotating rod 24 may be rotated in a manual operating mode or an automatic operating mode. The manual operating mode is performed by inserting an operating handle 27 into a hole 26 and rotating the operating handle 27 manually, while the automatic operating mode is performed by an electric motor 28.

[0018] Each of the posts 30 consists of an upper post 31, a lower post 37 and a wire 36, with the lower post 37 being telescopically inserted into the upper post 31.

[0019] The upper post 31 has a second vertical guide slit 32. A support cap 33 having third multiple external support projections is mounted on the top of the upper post 31. A second support collar 35 having fourth multiple external support projections is movably positioned around the upper post 31.

[0020] The lower post 37 has a retractable support 38 at its upper portion, the retractable support 38 being used to support the bottom of the upper post 31 when the tent frame assembly 10 of this invention is unfolded and each of the posts 30 is extended. A wheel 39 is mounted at the bottom of the lower post 37 so as to render the tent frame assembly 10 of this invention to be movable, and a wheel receiving hole 40 is formed at the lower end portion of the lower post 37 so as to receive the folded wheel 39 when the wheel 39 is not used.

[0021] The wire 36 extends from the second support collar 35 to the lower post 37 through a guide roller 34, so that the lower post 37 is vertically moved by the movement of the second support collar 35. At this time, the wire 36 which connects the second support collar 35 to the upper portion of the lower post 37 through a guide roller 34 preferably has a length which prevents the lower post 37 from slipping out of the upper post 31 when the lower post 37 is lowered and the second collar 35 is raised so as to unfold the tent frame assembly 10 of this invention.

[0022] Each of the bar linkages consists of a joint 12 and three bars 11. Each of the linkages connects each of the support caps 33 with the first support collar 29 or connects each of the second support collars 35 with the lower stationary support 22. An end of each of the linkages is rotatably mounted at a projection of a corresponding part.

[0023] The operation of the tent frame assembly of the present invention is described in the following.

[0024] In order to unfold the tent frame assembly 10, the following operation is performed. First of all, the rotating rod 24 is rotated in a normal direction manually by rotating the operating handle 27 inserted into the hole 26 or automatically by operating the electric motor 28. When the rotating rod 24 is rotated in the normal direction within the housing tube 21, the first support collar 29 engaged with the threads of the externally threaded rotating rod 24 is lowered down along the housing tube 21. When the first support collar 29 is lowered down, the folded linkages connected with the first support collar 29 are radially unfolded to the outside, the joints 12 of the linkages are raised up and the posts 30 are pushed to the outside.

[0025] On the other hand, since all component parts of the tent frame assembly 10 are connected to each other, the linkages connected with the lower stationary support 22 are unfolded and the second support collars 35 are raised up when the first support collar 29 is lowered down and the linkages connected with the first support collar 29 are unfolded. As the second support collars 35 are raised up, the lower posts 37 connected with the second support collars 35 via the wire 36 are lowered down by their own weights. When the posts 30 are expanded completely, the retractable support 38 is retracted and supports the upper posts 31, respectively.

[0026] When it is necessary to move the tent frame assembly 10 after the tent frame assembly 10 is unfolded, the wheel 39 is taken out of the wheel receiving hole 40 and is positioned under the bottom of the lower post 37, thus moving easily the unfolded tent frame assembly 10 to a desired place. On the other hand, when it is necessary to fix the tent frame assembly 10 at a place after the tent frame assembly 10 is unfolded or when the wheel 39 is not needed to be used because the tent frame assembly 10 is folded, the wheel 39 is rotated counterclockwise and is received within the wheel receiving hole 40, thus preventing the tent frame assembly 10 from being removed from a fixed place or rendering the tent frame assembly 10 to be compact for convenience of storage.

[0027] After the tent frame assembly 10 is unfolded completely, the tent frame assembly 10 may be covered with skins, canvas, plastic, or the like on its top, so that the tent is completed. The tent frame assemblies 10 may be set up one next another.

[0028] In order to fold the tent frame assembly 10, the following operation is performed. First of all, the retractable support 38 is retracted. While the retractable support 38 is retracted, the rotating rod 24 is rotated in a reverse direction manually by rotating the operating handle 27 inserted into the hole 26 or automatically by operating the electric motor 28. When the rotating rod 24 is rotated in the reverse direction within the housing tube 21, the first support collar 29 engaged with the threads of the externally threaded rotating rod 24 is raised up along the housing tube 21. When the first support collar 29 is raised up, the unfolded linkages connected with the first support collar 29 are radially folded to the inside, the joints 12 of the linkages are lowered down and the posts 30 are radially pulled to the inside.

[0029] On the other hand, since all component parts of the tent frame assembly 10 are connected to each other, the linkages connected with the lower stationary support 22 are folded and the second support collars 35 are lowered down when the first support collar 29 is raised up and the linkages connected with the first support collar 29 are folded. As the second support collars 35 are lowered down, the lower posts 37 connected with the second support collars 35 via the wire 36 are raised up into the interiors of the upper posts 31 by the wire 36.

[0030] Since the folded tent frame assembly 10 is compact, it is convenient for storage.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0031] As described above, the present invention provides a frame assembly for folding tents, allowing a tent to be easily and correctly folded and unfolded and permitting the tent to be easily moved to a desired place.

[0032] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

1. A frame assembly for folding tents, comprising: a working rod having, a housing tube having one or more first vertical guide slits, a lower stationary support having first regularly spaced multiple external support projections and being fixed to the bottom of the housing tube, an externally threaded rotating rod being rotatably inserted into the interiors of the housing tube and the stationary support, and a first support collar having second regularly spaced multiple external support projections and one or more inner projections, the first support collar being movably positioned around the housing tube with each of the inner projections being engaged with the threads of the externally threaded rotating rod through each of the vertical guide slits; multiple posts individually having, an upper post having a second vertical guide slit, the upper post being provided with a support cap having third multiple external support projections on the top of the upper post and being provided with a second support collar having fourth multiple external support projections around the upper housing tube, a lower post being telescopically inserted into the upper post and having a retractable support at its upper portion so as to support the bottom of the upper post when each of the posts is extended, and a wire extending from the second support collar to the lower post through a guide roller through the second vertical guide slit, so that the second support collar is vertically movable by the movement of the rotating rod; and multiple bar linkages consisting of a joint and multiple bars, each of the linkages connecting each of the support caps with the first support collar and connecting each of the second support collars with the lower stationary support.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said rotating rod is provided at its lower portion with a hole into which an operating handle may be inserted so as to manually rotate the rotating rod.
 3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said rotating rod is provided with a motor at its lower end so as to automatically rotate the rotating rod.
 4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said lower post is provided with a wheel at its bottom so as to render the tent frame assembly to be movable and is provided with a wheel receiving hole at its lower end portion so as to receive the folded wheel when the wheel is not used. 